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Head-to-head · Web Accelerator Software

Amazon CloudFront vs NGINX Plus

  • Updated Sep 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 2 checks side by side
Higher score Amazon CloudFront #1 in Web Accelerator Software 9.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 5 features Visit CloudFront
NGINX Plus #4 in Web Accelerator Software 7.4/10 Pricing on request · 30-day trial ✓ 0 of 5 features Visit NGINX Plus

Amazon CloudFront leads on 2 checks, NGINX Plus on 0, and 0 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 2 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreAmazon CloudFront · 9.0/10
  • Free planonly Amazon CloudFront
  • Most featuresAmazon CloudFront · 1 of 5

Amazon CloudFront scores higher on our rubric for web accelerator software: 9.0 against 7.4 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #4.

Amazon CloudFront offers free plan; NGINX Plus doesn't. Amazon CloudFront offers origin shield; NGINX Plus doesn't publish it.

Amazon CloudFront is the better fit for organizations delivering content through AWS. NGINX Plus is the better fit for enterprise traffic management and API gateways.

  • Amazon CloudFront fits best

    Organizations delivering content through AWS

  • NGINX Plus fits best

    Enterprise traffic management and API gateways

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. We may earn a commission when you click some links. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Amazon CloudFront 9.0/10 Visit ↗ NGINX Plus 7.4/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.0 7.4
Ranking #1 in Web Accelerator Software #4 in Web Accelerator Software
Best for Organizations delivering content through AWS Enterprise traffic management and API gateways
Pricing model Free plan + paid Paid
Starting price Not published Not published
Free plan ✓ (best) —
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms Web Linux
Integrations 4 integrations 12 integrations
Built for Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Enterprise, Mid-market
Features Amazon CloudFront 1/5 · NGINX Plus 0/5
Image optimization Not published Not published
Web application firewall Not published Not published
Bot management Not published Not published
Origin shield ✓ (best) Not published
Cache purge API Not published Not published
Specs
Included bandwidth Not published Not published
Our review
Pros
  • Global edge delivery with caching for web content
  • Supports video and media delivery alongside websites and APIs
  • Integrates with Amazon S3, AWS WAF, and other AWS services
  • Balances Layer 4 and Layer 7 traffic with advanced routing and algorithms.
  • Combines API gateway routing, authentication, and rate limiting.
  • Offers active health checks, high availability, and real-time monitoring.
Cons
  • Usage-based charges vary by region and delivery volume
  • AWS-centered integrations may not suit teams seeking a neutral ecosystem
  • Cloud deployment may not fit teams needing on-premises delivery
  • Pricing requires contacting sales rather than choosing a public plan.
  • It is not a managed service, so teams operate their deployment.
  • No free plan is available; access is through a 30-day trial or subscription.
Our verdict

Amazon CloudFront is a cloud content delivery network for organizations distributing websites, APIs, video, and other content. Its global edge locations and caching address delivery speed for audiences spread across regions, while…

Read the review →

NGINX Plus is F5’s commercial application delivery software for organizations managing modern applications, APIs, Kubernetes environments, and AI workloads. It brings reverse proxying together with Layer 4 and Layer 7 load balancing,…

Read the review →
  1. Amazon CloudFrontWeb Accelerator Software 9.0Free plan
  2. NGINX PlusWeb Accelerator Software 7.4Pricing on request · 30-day trial

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Amazon CloudFront — where it wins

    • Global edge delivery with caching for web content
    • Supports video and media delivery alongside websites and APIs
    • Integrates with Amazon S3, AWS WAF, and other AWS services

    Where it doesn't

    • Usage-based charges vary by region and delivery volume
    • AWS-centered integrations may not suit teams seeking a neutral ecosystem
    • Cloud deployment may not fit teams needing on-premises delivery

  • NGINX Plus — where it wins

    • Balances Layer 4 and Layer 7 traffic with advanced routing and algorithms.
    • Combines API gateway routing, authentication, and rate limiting.
    • Offers active health checks, high availability, and real-time monitoring.

    Where it doesn't

    • Pricing requires contacting sales rather than choosing a public plan.
    • It is not a managed service, so teams operate their deployment.
    • No free plan is available; access is through a 30-day trial or subscription.

More comparisons

All web accelerator software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Sep 2026

Last updated · How we research and update